‘Priceless’ grad dress handmade by Okanagan teen’s grandma stolen

A Grade 12 student in Salmon Arm is hoping for the return of her handmade grad dress, which was stolen from a vehicle during the early hours of April 11.

According to James Lidstone, a friend of the dress owner Taryn Bottcher, the dress was handmade for her by her grandmother for her upcoming high school graduation. He said while it may not have value to others, it is priceless to Bottcher because of the sentimental value.

Taryn Bottcher, a Grade 12 student in Salmon Arm, spent three months helping her grandmother sew her the perfect dress for her upcoming graduation. Her friend James Lidstone said after the dress was stolen, she broke down. (Image from Facebook)

“It was a long haul because it took three months to make, and it’s completely handmade,” said Lidstone. “She didn’t want to just buy a dress, she said if she was going to have a dress she was going to get one that she wanted. And her grandmother is a seamstress so they worked together on it.

“(Taryn) is not the type of person to get emotional, but after it was stolen she just broke down.”

Lidstone said the family made a police report and that the dress was not the only item taken from the vehicle. He said the dress is the only thing the family is concerned with having returned.

“We just want the dress back. We don’t even care about the wallet and the other personal items that were taken,” said Lidstone.

Lidstone said they have been overwhelmed with the support from the surrounding community, with his Facebook post about the stolen dress being shared nearly 2,000 times. He said many people have called offering their own dresses for Bottcher to wear on her big day, but he said the generosity was greatly appreciated but not necessary.

“We’ve kind of already lost hope because it’s been nearly four days and we haven’t heard anything, so they’ve already started making another one,” said Lidstone, noting that the grad ceremony is at the end of June so Bottcher and her grandmother still had time to create another gown.

If anyone has information relating to the dress, they are asked to call James Lidstone at 250-463-1101.